‘Fargo’ Renewed for Season 2: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

The FX miniseries Fargo will return for a second season, the network’s president John Landgraf announced on July 21. The first season, starring Billy Bob Thorton and Martin Freeman, garnered 18 Emmy nominations.

The show was adapted from Joel and Ethan Coen‘s 1996 film by the same name. The brothers also served as executive producers on the first season.

Find out what will happen next in the small town of Minnesota.

1. The Second Season Will Star a New Cast

(Patrick McElhenney/FX)

The next season of Fargo will feature a new cast, a new crime and a new time period. The season will include 10 episodes.

In season one, Thorton starred as the drifter Lorne Malvo, who arrived in the small Minnesota town and caused mayhem among its citizen, most notably Freeman’s insurance salesman Lester Nygaard. The show also starred Allison Tolman and Colin Hanks. All four actors received Emmy nominations for their performances.

2. Noah Hawley Will Return to Write Every Episode

(Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

Noah Hawley will write all 10 episodes for season two as he did last season. His first season efforts earned him an Emmy nomination for the episode “The Crocodile’s Dilemma.”

3. The ‘Fargo’ Universe Has Many Stories to Tell

(Chris Large/FX)

The series sticks with the tone established in the Coen Brothers’ Oscar-winning film, but the TV series didn’t bring much more over to the small screen adaption. Small nods to the film included a White Russian drink special and the infamous ice scraper (see the movie scene below).

I think the fact that we did that and have different characters, different story, but it still had that same feel, it still had that same tint as Fargo, I think was good… It’s such a rich universe. And there’s so many different ways to tell other stories in that universe. But we told our own, which I think is the most important.

4. The ‘Fargo’ Film Won 4 Academy Awards

The movie Fargo received seven nominations for the 1997 Academy Awards. It took home four Oscars including Best Actress for Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor for William H. Macy, Best Screenplay for Joel and Ethan Coen and Best Picture.

(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

5. The Miniseries Format Attracts Big Name Stars

(Chris Large/FX)

More movie stars are making their way to the small screen because of limited run series like Fargo. Actors don’t have to commit to multiple seasons and can still have time to film their other movie projects. Hawley explained to E! News the appeal for actors signing on to a show like Fargo:

You can get a stellar cast because you’re not asking them to commit to multiple seasons. It’s like a movie for them.